Category Archives: Fundamental Theology

God’s Love Knows No Bounds, But Man’s Response is Imperative

We have all heard today at Mass St. Paul’s beautiful discourse on love. It is so often read at wedding Masses, and one is tempted to think of Paul’s focus being solely on human love. He says that in the … Continue reading

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“He is possessed by Beelzebul!”

We heard in the Gospel for today’s Mass the scribes uttering, “He is possessed by Beelzebul.” Jesus, in response, asks the question whether Satan can long stand if his house is divided. In other words, Jesus points out that he, … Continue reading

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Epiphany: A Light Has Shone to the Whole World!

The Osservatore Romano, the newspaper of the Holy See had a short article today on the Epiphany. Worth your time to read. I am presenting the original Italian text, with my English translation below it. Happy Epiphany, everyone!! Oggi è … Continue reading

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A “Catholic” Newspaper Gets It Wrong

Some of you may already be on top of this story. On December 3rd, the National Catholic Reporter published an editorial endorsing the ordination of women to the priesthood. If you must, you can log on to: http://ncronline.org/node/40306 to read … Continue reading

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Faith as Liberation Mediated by Communion with Christ

Pope Benedict has written eloquently about the virtue of faith, and fittingly so in the Year of Faith. He has reminded us that faith is a supremely personal act, by which he means it is an act of the whole … Continue reading

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Hats Off to Fr. Ted

There is an 18 minute video making its way around the blogsphere of a conversation a woman had with a young priest from the diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan about a whole host of things ranging from Vatican II, the whole … Continue reading

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The “Fundamental Lie” and the Remedy

I do not know whether or not you have read Pope Benedict’s homily for Holy Thursday two weeks past, but it is a wonderful meditation. I would encourage you to read and reflect upon it: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20120405_coena-domini_en.html  At the end of the homily, … Continue reading

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Practicing Christianity

I was speaking with a professional colleague today at a conference we both attended on self-injurious behavior and it relationship with eating disorders. We whispered to each other as the lecturer was speaking how we as therapists are always trying … Continue reading

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It is in the Following that You Face the Cross

I have been left with an enduring thought these past couple of days, a thought which came from yesterday’s Gospel in which Jesus instructs his disciples that if they follow him, they will face the cross. I would suspect that … Continue reading

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Calling all Deacons! – The Authority of Service

The Holy Father’s Angelus message centers around today’s passage from the Gospel of Mark in which a man with an unclean spirit is cleansed by Jesus. Benedict XVI made a remarkable comment on the nature of authority. We all have … Continue reading

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Speaking of Conscience

I mentioned conscience in my post earlier today. Let me define it for you, and then try to apply it to the idea of confronting the national conscience in regard to abortion, marriage and family, euthanasia, and other pro-life issues. … Continue reading

Posted in Ethics and Morality, Fundamental Theology, Human Development and Life, Marriage and Family | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

I want to thank Elizabeth Scalia over at The Anchoress (www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress) for this wonderful quote from Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI: Faith is not the resignation of reason in view of the limits of our knowledge; it is not … Continue reading

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A Fourth Sunday of Advent Meditation

The Office of Readings today offer for our reflection a section of the Letter to Diogenitus. It is a beautiful brief meditation on God’s intervention into human history. Here is one translation: No man has ever seen God or known … Continue reading

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Sexual Difference: Dual Unity

Blessed Pope John Paul II, in his The Theology of the Body, talks about “dual unity” or the “double unity.” He said that in creation, God created the unity of two beings, male and female, and this unity lay in … Continue reading

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Is Sexual Difference a Construct of Society?

A common idea floating around our culture today is that sexual differences between men and women are a construct of society, i.e., determined by social norms, expectations and experiences. The idea purports that sexual and gender traits are what society … Continue reading

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